


Pet Sematary

by literarygalaxies



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Momota, Oma Kokichi Needs a Hug, Sad Oma Kokichi, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-25 16:32:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18578311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literarygalaxies/pseuds/literarygalaxies
Summary: The print of Kaito's jacket was reflected in the steel; stars, galaxies, meteors and comets against a velvet purple background that almost seemed ebony. It brought out a childlike marvel in the boy, a large smile spreading across his features.Kokichi changed his mind, he did want to be reborn.He wanted to reborn as a star high up in the sky, burning so bright and beautifully while being surrounded by others like him, others who understood him. A star where men, women and children could marvel at him and feel a sense of joy when doing so. And, one day, he'd fall out of the sky after a life of luxury and be seen as supremely gorgeous by all stuck on the ground.They would all pin their hopes and wishes upon him and, just for a moment, feel some sense of comfort._____________________________AU where DRV3 was a virtual reality killing game run by Team Danganronpa. Kokichi has to deal with the fact that he isn't dead despite wanting to be.





	Pet Sematary

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always appreciated!! I might write a follow up for this that'll be super fluffy happy oumota on jabberwock island

The air was frigid, Kokichi couldn't help the shivers that shook his pitiful frame despite his poor attempts at keeping warm. The dictator had wrapped Kaito's jacket around himself, nimble fingers clutching it tightly but finding the task increasingly difficult. Said astronaut was right beside him, though his body heat hardly registered for Kokichi at this point.

  


If hell existed, this was surely it. There were no words to describe the horrors they'd seen and endured, nothing could compare to the slowly rising fear throughout Kokichi's mind. Death surrounded him, he could feel his body's aching pains before going numb, the blur ebbing into his vision, the ragged breaths leaving his ever parted lips and the rancid stench of his own expiration coming upon him. 

  


The supreme ruler struggled to swallow, feeling the urge to vomit as a singular tear fell from his porcelain cheek. Kokichi couldn't help but to hope there was nothing after death, that he wouldn't be reborn into this sickening world again or judged by some deity who didn't understand just how tied his hands were. 

  


“Kaito…” his voice was barely a whisper but it felt like a canon erupting in the empty and still room. That single utterance was all it took for the astronaut to stand and Kokichi struggled to do the same. There was a look of fondness in the taller's eyes as he ruffled the dictator's hair, smile looking as if he were barely biting back tears. 

  


Despite himself, Kokichi smiled back and leaned into the touch, saddened that it hardly made itself known. Their plan was surely insane, fueled by hope and combined smarts, faith in their friends and hatred for the mastermind. Their plan was surely going to end this killing game and they could finally rest easily.

  


Kokichi could finally let his eyes shut without the worry of tomorrow biting at his heels, he could smile knowing he'd never have to lie again, he could cry knowing his life just might finally have some meaning and purpose. 

  


There was nothing he could do to stop the groans of pain that tore from his throat as Kaito drug him across the cool floor. The astronaut was profusely apologizing under his breath and Kokichi wished he'd had the strength to ask if such platitudes really mattered in that moment. It all felt like a blur, he'd given Kaito the script he'd meticulously created before beginning to record the video that would throw off the very mastermind.

  


Kokichi glanced at Kaito, hoping the other couldn't notice the shaking of his hands and the hardly concealed dread within mulberry orbs. The dictator went to lay on the press but noticing Kaito's jacket, he forced a giggle, “Momota-chan, aren't you gonna want this for your grand entrance..?” 

  


The astronaut simply shook his head, “I know I'm a dork but I'm not  _ that _ childish, I don't need some big heroic entrance.” Kaito scoffed, shaking his head as he walked up to the mechanism parading the buttons he would soon need to press without shame.

  


“I said  _ want _ , not  _ need _ , stupid.” Kokichi sneered with a laugh, closing his eyes and finally rolling onto the press. After a few more moments which lacked reply, the boy opened his eyes to further irritate the taller but found that both his words and breath caught in his throat. 

  


The print of Kaito's jacket was reflected in the steel; stars, galaxies, meteors and comets against a velvet purple background that almost seemed ebony. It brought out a childlike marvel in the boy, a large smile spreading across his features. 

  


Kokichi changed his mind, he  _ did _ want to be reborn.

  


He wanted to reborn as a star high up in the sky, burning so bright and beautifully while being surrounded by others like him, others who understood him. A star where men, women and children could marvel at him and feel a sense of joy when doing so. And, one day, he'd fall out of the sky after a life of luxury and be seen as supremely gorgeous by all stuck on the ground.

  


They would all pin their hopes and wishes upon him and, just for a moment, feel some sense of comfort.

  


Kokichi felt another tear slip down his cheek; what a beautiful life that would be. Did someone like him even deserve such a thing? 

  


“Kokichi..?” Kaito asked, voice sounding distant and as if he were underwater.

  


“I'm ready,” Kokichi responded without hesitance, more than ready for this killing game to be over, more than ready for a new life to begin, more than ready to be loved for the first time.

  


There was a moment of sharp pain all through his frame before it was gone just as suddenly as it happened, darkness surrounding him.

  


That darkness felt like it lasted forever yet only a few moments all the same. When Kokichi felt his eyes fluttering open, expecting to be met with endless beauty but there was smoke, instead. The quiet of what should be the night sky was protruded with a loud, systematic beeping sound that rang throughout his skull and was giving him the worst headache.

  


The smoke was swarming into his lungs, violent coughs ripping from his small frame. Cold, flashing lights and loud sounds were all Kokichi could parse. Despite himself, the purple haired boy reached out to grab for something, someone,  _ anything _ . 

  


His mulberry eyes adjusted to the lights and Kokichi found himself moving, looking at his hands as if they were not his own. They couldn't be his, in fact. He was dead, remember? He offered himself as a sacrifice to end the wretched killing game he'd been forced into. So, whose body is this? Had he been reborn as a new person as he so dreaded?

  


However, when grape colored strands of hair fell into his vision; Kokichi new that wasn't the case. Somehow, he was still himself. 

  


The deepest yet calmest despair washed over him and drowned him in an instant, heart sinking to the depths of his stomach as his entire body went slack. Like a gentle river, tears began to fall from his eyes as he silently sobbed and found great interest in the swirling lights on the ceiling.

  


You see, there were two types of people in this world. There were people like Kaito who had their unfulfilled hero complexes, come hell or high water they want to be painted like a fearless legend who did nothing but save others. That's why he went along with Kokichi's crazy plan in the first place, his own desire to be a martyr.

  


The second type of person were those like Kokichi, people whose lives had been so lonely and woefully difficult and were looking for any way out. You've got to have a few screws loose to let yourself be crushed by a hydraulic press, you know? 

  


It was funny, really. Kokichi trudged through his tragic life still somehow caring for others and wishing for violence to end, a kind and pure hearted wish. Yet, he ended up with blood on his hands and needed to atone. His atonement was death, eternal damnation, living in purgatory,  _ anything _ but living on.

  


He didn't want to live his life again.

  


Kokichi would rather die in the most excruciating ways some cruel god could come up with for all eternity rather than become Kokichi Ouma once again. To be abandoned, to lose everything, to never know the warmth of friendship, to lock himself up behind lies as anxiety ate him alive. 

  


He didn't want to have to think anymore, it was too much of a burden. To drag this weary body up and force laughs through chapped and shaking lips, it was impossible. Kokichi didn't have it in him.

  


Slowly his twitching hands raised and pressed against his chest, feeling a strong and steady heartbeat and confirming that he truly was still alive. Kokichi couldn't do anything but scream, scream as loud as he could and pray that some deity would take pity on him and put his soul to rest right at that moment!

  


But, that moment never came. The only thing that continued were his horrified shrieks of confusion and anger, Kokichi pulling at his hair as he continued to wail. 

  


“I can't do this, it's not fair, I can't take it anymore..!” He shrieked, coughing violently as he began banging his fists against whatever odd contraption he was laying in. 

  


“It hurts too much, I can't live this life again!” Kokichi took a stuttered gasp before collapsing into a heap, wrapping his arms around his knees. Light began flooding the room, drawing the boy's attention to it.

  


He was greeted with an entirely too familiar yet slightly divergent face. Kaito was looking at him with an odd mixture of joy and concern swirling on his features, ridiculous and stupid haircut all the same. The tall boy held a healthy tan and heat to his cheeks, looking thousands of times more alive than in the hangar.

  


Kokichi stared down at his hands once more in disbelief before focusing on the the man who'd just entered. Horror settled into his very soul, the boy shaking his head rapidly, “No, no, no! Th-this  _ can't  _ be happening! It's impossible!”

  


A laugh bubbled up through his disorientation, “It's just too much!” Kokichi continued to laugh madly yet crying just the same, “I can't do this again, I can't live my life again!” It's not that he didn't  _ want _ to but he  _ couldn't.  _ Kokichi couldn't even explain how he'd lasted as long as he did in the first place.

  


The pity that blossomed in the gaze thrown his way made him sick to his stomach. Sick, sick and dizzy. Kokichi felt like he could pass out any moment now but he was steadied by large and warm arms wrapping around him. His head pressing against a broad chest and listening to the calming heartbeat there within, Kokichi continued to cry quietly.

  


“... You probably want to know what the hell is going on, right?” came Kaito's deep and rumbling voice draped in care. Kokichi could only bring himself to nod. Thusly, he's informed about Team Danganronpa, Danganronpa itself, virtual reality television shows and the appalling fact that he'd signed up for such a thing. Turns out Tsumugi had been the mastermind but in reality, she was the youthfully obnoxious manager of Team Danganronpa.

  


Everyone else had already awoken quite some time ago. Those with the most traumatizing deaths took the longest to wake yet Kokichi was two months behind the others, probably a product of his subconscious craving and wanting death. He'd managed to convince himself that he was dead and never coming back.

  


Even after having it all explained to him, Kokichi still clung tightly to Kaito and found his tears still slowly pouring from his cheeks. He really didn't die and would be forced to continue living on as himself, it was such a cruel joke. He couldn't even remember why he'd signed up for such a heinous thing in the first place.

  


Money? Fame? The off chance the equipment could fail and he'd suffer a mostly blameless death? That last idea seemed the most plausible to someone like him. 

  


Gently, Kaito pushed him away and kneeled down a bit, looking right into the shorter's mulberry eyes with fierce determination. “The killing game  _ is _ over and we're free to live our lives however we please on this island.”

  


Kaito began to smile, “It's a beautiful island where it hardly rains, the food is fantastic and everyone has been waiting for you.” Kokichi didn't even bother to hide his doubt of those words, the others hated him and for good reason.

  


“I know that I'm really happy to see you alive and…” The astronaut took a steadying breath, “You can start over here. A lot of us did. You're free to reinvent yourself or become a better version of yourself.” His voice shook as tears threatened to spill, “So, please, live as Kokichi Ouma once more.”

  


At those words, Kokichi avoided the other's gaze and was met with a soft, “At least live for the time being…” The boy had never been met with such a kind, understanding and reassuring tone before that when he nodded, it felt involuntary. In swift moments, Kaito was helping him out of whatever pod he had been laying in for who knows how long, he'd have to ask how long the killing game took in real time.

  


His legs were weak from their lack of use, Kokichi leaning into Kaito as they walked down the long corridor and not objecting to the arm slung around his nimble shoulders. The shorter found himself looking up at Kaito, his smile dazzling like that of a star and feeling just the smallest inkling of hope sprout in his chest.

  


“Thank you, Kaito…” his voice was small and subdued but earnest and conveying genuine emotion. 

  


Said man beamed down at him, grinning even wider, “It's my pleasure, Kokichi Ouma.”

  


And for the first time, Kokichi found himself liking the name bestowed upon him.


End file.
